Driving mechanism for washing machines



' July 12, 1927.

O. B. WOODROW DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 13. 1925 Sheets- Sheet 1 Jul 12 1927. 1635 450 y vo. B. woooaow DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES oLIvER IB. wooimow, or imw'roiv, owa.

DRI VH VG MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

Application filed April-18, 1925. $eria1 1T0. 22,797.

The object of my invention is to provide a mechanism of simple, durable and inexpensive construction for transmitting power from an electric motor or other prime mover into an oscillating movement as applied to a device, such for instance as a washing machine tub of the vertical oscillator type and a continuously rotating shaft such as is used in connection with awringer drive. More specifically it is my object to provide a mechanism of this class in which the parts most subject to wear are grouped and assembled in a small ace and all contained within a gear case which may be filled with oil so that said working parts run continuously in oil with obviously advantageous results.

A further object is to provide an improved clutch device as one of the units of said mechanism and designed to be contained within said gear case and immersed in oil, which clutch mechanism is of simple, durable and inexpensive construction and utilizes the oil itself to mechanically retard the gripping action of the clutch.

A further object is to provide an improved arrangement of counterbalancing springs between the stationary frame and the vertical oscillator frame whereby lateral strains and friction upon the main bearing of the rotary frame member is minimized.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of a stationary base member for a washing machine or the like and a movable frame member mounted thereon designed to receive a tub to be moved in a vertical oscillating manner. Said view also shows the electric motor and the gear case enclosing the drive mechanism, the top of the gear' base being removed. t

Figure 2 shows an enlarged, detail, vertical, sectional view taken on a line centered at the vertical drive shaft for the washer and the vertical drive shaft for the wringer. The dotted lines in said figure show themovable clutch member in its released position,

in which the wringer shaft is rotated and the drive shaft for the washing machine is inoperative; and

Figure 3 shows a detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have 'used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a stationary supporting frame preferably of the kind having three legs extended outwardly from the central body portion, and supported at the central portion of this stationary frame is an upright shaft 11. Rotatively mounted upon the upper portion of the shaft 11 is a hollow frame member 12. This rotatable frame member 12 is designed to receive a small amount of grease and to carry a washing machine tub or other article to be vertically oscillated. Carried by the frame member 12 are hollow arms 12 each of which carry acontractile coil spring 13arranged on diametrically opposite sides thereof. The outer ends of these coil springs are extended to diametrically opposite positions and there attached to a circular angle bar 14. The springs 13 are attached to the arms 12 by yokes 12 and pins 12, said pinsbeing lubricated through the arms 12.

The lower gear case member is indicated generally by. the reference numeral 15 and is stationarily supported at its lower end by means of the frame member 16 which is 85 part of the frame 10. The top of the gear a case member, indicated generally by the, numeral 17, is secured to the circular angle bar member 14, thus rigidly securing together the various partsof the stationary frame member and the gear case, and forming an assembly that may be readily and easily put together.

Mounted upon a part of the stationary frame member is an electric motor or other prime mover indicated by the numeral 18 and connected by a belt 19 with a pulley 20 on the shaft 21 which enters the gear case,- and has a beveled driving pinion 22-on its end 'within the gear case. 190 f Extended'vertically through the gear case i is a wringer drive shaft 23 having at its lower end a ball bearing 24. Fixed to this shaft 23 near its lower end is a combined clutch member and bevel gear devices which 195 comprises a hub portion 25 rigidly connected by a pin 26 tothe shaft 23. At the top of the hub portion is an outwardly extended part 27 formed with a series of oil passageways 28. At the outer end of the part 27 is a downwardly projecting conical clutch flange member 29, and at the lower end of the member 29 is a flange extended outwardly and then upwardly at 30, thus forming a'substantially V-shaped groove, both adjacent faces of which provide clutching surfaces for the mating clutch member. This flange is formed at-its bottom with oil passageways 31 and at the outer upper portion of the flange there is formed a bevel gear 32, the latter being arranged in mesh with the bevel pinion 22. 1

The coacting clutch member comprises a body portion 33 loosely mounted upon the shaft 23 above the clutch member 29. This body portion 33 is formed at its upper end with a gear wheel 34 and at its lower end it is formed with an outwardly extended flange 35 above the oil passageways 28, and

also with a downwardly extended conical clutch member 36 shaped to coact with the conical clutch member 29 and also to enter the space between the parts 29 and'30, and

whcn'in its lower position it tightly fits both adjacent faces of the parts 29 and 30, and forms clutching contact therewith. This clutch member 33 is yi'eldingly held in position in clutching engagement with the clutch member 29 by a coil spring 37 interposed betweenthe central portion of the gear Wheel 34 at its lower end and a washer 38 at its upper end, which washer bears against the gear case cover 17 through which'the shaft 23 is projected.

Formed in the central portion of the clutch member 33 is an annular groove 39 into which is projected an arm 40 fixed to a shaft 41 which is slidingly mounted in the gear case cover 17, and it serves the purpose of elevating the upper clutch member to a position out of clutching engagement with the lower clutch member.

The means for raising and lowering the shaft 41 preferably comprises a stationary bracket 42 mounted on thetubular housing 43- for the shaft 23. This bracket 42 is preferably provided with a stationary cam shaped lug 44 at its upper end, as shown in Figure 3, and also is provided with a coil spring 45 at its lower end engaging the bracket 42 at its top, and also engaglng a washer 46 at its bottom, which washer is secured by a sin 47 to the shaft 41, thus tending to yiel ingly hold the shaft 41 at its downward limit of movement.

Rotatively mounted upon the shaft 41 is a lever 48 having a circular head 49 surrounding the upperend of the shaft 41 and also having a cam shaped flange 50 extending downwardly and designed to engage and coact with the cam shaped lug 44.

When the lever 48 is in the position shown in Figures 2 and ,3, then the-shaft 41 is in position held by the spring 45 at its downward limit of movement, but when this lever 48 is moved laterally in either direction, the cam 50 traveling upon the cam 44, elevates the shaft 41 against pressure of the spring 45 and holds it in'such elevated position.

Rotatively mounted within the gear case is the upright drive shaft 51 for the washing machine. This drive shaft is mounted with its lower end in a tli'rust roller bearing 52 at the lower part of the gear case, and with its upper end in a roller bearing 53 in the gear case cover. Fixed to its central portion within the gear case is a gear wheel 54 in mesh with the gear wheel 34, and these preferably firmly fixed to the shaft 51 by pins 56.

Fixed to the upperend of the shaft 51 above the gear case is a short crank 57 connected by a pitman 58 to the rotatable frame member 12 on the shaft 11.

In'practical use attention is called to the fact that with my improved construction andvarrangement of parts, all of the gear devices, and the clutch for transmitting power from the drive shaft-21 to either the wringer drive shaft 23 or the washing machine drive shaft 51, are contained within a tightly enclosed gear case, which is filled with -.oil so that all of these parts. are constantly lubricated and the oil is prevented from working out of the gear case in such manner 'as might come in contact with the garments being used in connection with the washing machine. Furthermore, the gear case itself forms a part of, and is firmly connected with, the stationary frame of the machine, in that the lower end of the gear case is securely fixed to the lower stationary frame member 10 and the upper end of the gear case is firmly fixed to the frame member 14. Furthermore, if for any reason it should be necessary to provide access to any of these gear devices, this may be done by simply removing the gear case cover.

The combination of the clutch members with the integral gears on each of them, together with the co-operating-parts thereof, is highly advantageous in a structure of this character. With my improved construction separate parts that shaft 23, the gear 32 is formed with a clutch member, which clutch member is machined in'such a manner as to be accurately centered relative to the gear The upper clutch member is formed with a clutch device to coact with the lower clutch member, and is also formed with an integral gear wheel 3& to drive the washing machine operating shaft 51, and by this arrangement the driving mechanism for the washing machine is extremely simple, durable and eflicient in construction, regardless of the clutchelement. In other words, a simple, durable and efficient clutching mechanism is provided in the combination, without the addition of any are liable to get out of alinement, or that need separate bearings and attachments; and furthermore all of said working parts are closely assembled and constantly run in oil in the same gear case.

In addition to the foregoing advantages, my improved clutch element of itself is a very eflicient structure. WVhen immersed in oil, and assuming that the upper clutch is i elevated out of working engagement with the lower clutch, and that the shaft 23 is running and the shaft 51 is stationary, and assuming further that it is desired to rotate the shaft 51 which isdesigned to be connected to, say for instance a tub full of water and clothes, and which requires a relatively great initial force in order to start it, then the operator moves the upper clutch member downwardly. When so doing the oil, that is contained between clutch member and the adjacent part of the upper clutch member, is slowly forced out through the openings 28 and in addition to this the oil, that is contained within the cup shaped portion 3 1 of the lower clutch member, will be slowly driven out through the openings 31 in the lower clutch member by the clutching flange 36 of the upper clutch member.

It is obvious that in the event that there was no oil in the gear case, and the upper clutch member was moved rapidly downwardly, it would quickly'assume a clutched condition with relation to the lower clutch member, and a heavy overload would instantly be thrown on the electric motor or,

other prime mover with obviously disastrous results. However, by means of this retarding action of the oil it is obvious that when the upper clutch member approaches gripping contact with the lower clutch member, it will reach first a relatively slight driving engagement with the lower clutch member, and this driving engagement will continue in intensity for a considerable period, depending on the size of the oil discharge openings until finally a complete clutch engagement has been attained, and during this time that has elapsed from the time when the clutch is only slightly in engagement until full the part 27 of the lower clutching engagement has been attained, the load of the washing machine will have been gradually started and will slowly reach its maximum tric motor to undue strains for starting puroses.

After the oscillating movement of the washing machine has been once commenced,

then no excessive because of the advantageous arrangement of the counterbalancing springs 13. These springs, by being diametrically opposed and connected at their inner ends to the member 12 which supports the washing machine body and at their outer ends to the stationary rim .14, will, when the washing machine is at rest, hold it in a certain definite position at all times. When the oscillating movement of the tub is started, there will be a relatively light force of the springs to overcome, which increases in intensity as the tub advances toward the end of its oscillatory movement, and when at the end of this movement, then the springs themselves function to start the tub on its return oscillatory movement, thus applying an even and uniload is thrown upon it,.

load without subjecting the elecform driving power of the motor to the continuance of the oscillatory movement of the member 12. Furthermore, by having two springs thus diametrically arranged, lateral strains upon the member 12 relative to its bearing upon the shaft 11 will be equalized and the wear upon said bearings will be uniform.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gearing mechanism for washing machines, the combination of a stationary frame member, a two part gearing case designed to contain oil and gear mechanisms, the lower part thereof being fixed to the frame and the upper part thereof being detachablyconnected to the lower part and also detachably connected to said frame, a member mounted for oscillatory rotary movement, a pitman connected therewith, a shaft mounted in the upper and lower portions of said gear case, a crank connecting said shaft with said pitman, a prime mover, a shaft driven by the prime mover and ining, a pinion thereon, and a gear mechanism driven by said pinion for driving said first shaft, for the purposes stated.

2. In a gearing mechanism for washing machines, the combination of a stationary frame member, a two part gearing case designed to contain oil and gear mechanisms, the lower part thereof being fixed to the frame and the upper part thereof being detachably connected to the lower part and also detachab'ly connected to said frame, a member mounted for oscillatory rotary movement, a pitman connected therewith, a shaft mounted in the upper and lower portions'of said gear case, a crank connecting each fixed at one end to said member mountsaid shaft with said pitman, a prime mover, ed for oscillatory rotary movement and ex- 7 a shaft driven by the prime mover and intended in diametrically opposite directions 10' serted in the lower portion of said gear caswith their opposite ends fixed to the stationing, a pinion thereon, a gear mechanism ary frame, for the purposes stated.

driven by said pinion for driving said first Des Moines, Iowa. March 6. 1925. shaft, and two counterbalancing springs, OLIVER B. WOODROW. 

